Desulfurization of flue gas

ABSTRACT

REMOVAL OF SULFUR DIOXIDE FROM HOT FLUE GAS BY PASSING THE FLUE GAS IN CONTACT WITH POTASSIUM FORMATE, SODIUM FORMATE, OR AMMONIUM FORMATE, IN EITHER A MOLTEN STATE OR IN AN AQUEOUS SOLUTION, AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE 140* F., WHEREBY THE SULFUR DIOXIDE AND THE FORMATE REACT TO FORM PRINCIPALLY THIOSULFATE.

. 12, 1972 GQRIN EI'AL DESULFURIZATION 0F FLUE GAS Original Filed Nov. 24, 1969 t 9 m H t 0 m S 2 8 mm vm mBEwzmuum Nazca mummamom m3 owmmnmum INVENTORS. E. GORIN P. M. YAVORSKY m 0 02-2-5200 ow United States Patent mm Patented Sept. 12, 1972 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Removal of sulfur dioxide from hot flue gas by passing the flue gas in contact with potassium formate, sodium formate, or ammonium formate, in either a molten state or in an aqueous solution, at a temperature above 140 F., whereby the sulfur dioxide and the formate react to form principally thiosulfate.

CROSSREFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a division of application, Ser. No. 879,223, filed Nov. 24, 1969, and now abandoned, which is a continuation-in-part of application, Ser. No. 667,479, filed Sept. 13, 1967 (now abandoned). Other related applications, filed on Nov. 24, 1969, describing and claiming certain subject matter hereinafter disclosed are an ap plication, Ser. No. 879,224, now Pat. No. 3,584,042 filed by P. M. Yavorsky and E. Gorin entitled Conversion of Thiosulfate to Formate and an application, Ser. No. 879,225 filed by N. J. Mazzocco, E. Gorin and P. M. Yavorsky entitled Regeneration of Formate from Thiosulfate (now abandoned, but replaced by a continuation-in-part application, Ser. No. 47,040, filed June 17, 1970, now Pat. No. 3,592,850).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention The present invention relates to a method of removing sulfur dioxide from gases, particularly from industrial gases which may contain only a very small amount of sulfur dioxide, such as flue gases which are formed in the burning of sulfur-containing coal or oil, and also in certain metallurgical processes.

(2) Description of the prior art Wet scrubbing of flue gas with sulfur-absorbing reagents is an extremely effective method of removing S0 For example, the use of soda ash solutions has been shown to effect removal of 95 percent in full-scale plant tests at the Battersea Power Station, England, from flue gases containing ca. 0.1 volume percent 80:. Similarly, high efiicicncy has been achieved in pilot tests on removal of 80: by washing with alkali sulfite solutions. See Johnstone, H. F.; Read, H. J.; and Blankmeyer, H. C., Ind. Eng. Chem. 30, 101 (1938). Wet scrubbing has also been investigated with disposable" weakly alkaline reagents, i.e., water-lime slurries. Tests at the Battersea Power Station indicated highly efiicient sulfur removal in this way, but almost as good elimination was obtained with the water alone, apparently due to the natural alkalinity it contained.

The alkali metal and alkaline earth salts of formic acid in aqueous solutions have been proposed as wet absorbents of sulfur dioxide (Japanese Pat. No. 172,814, issued May 31, 1946). The sulfur dioxide is absorbed at ambient temperatures below 50 C., according to the following illustrative reaction:

The patent further teaches that the sulfur dioxide may be released by simply heating the solution to a temperature above 55 C., and preferably nearer C.

The wet scrubbing methods which operate at low ambient temperatures suffer from the so-called plume problem. The low buoyancy of the gas resulting from scrubbing at substantially ambient temperatures requires that almost quantitative removal of S0 be eifected. Otherwise, due to poor dispersion of the flue gas and the resultant plume, the ground level contamination may be even worse than without scrubbing. The scrubbed flue gas may be reheated to elevated temperatures before release to the atmosphere, but such reheating is expensive.

In most utility stations, the flue gas exiting from the air preheater and entering the stack has a temperature in the range of 250-350 F. The high temperature facilitates plume rise. It would be desirable to scrub this gas for SO, removal without substantial cooling, to insure plume rise without costly reheat. Accordingly, the scrubbing medium should preferably be a liquid which is effectively operated in, or as near this temperature range as possible.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, a new reaction is provided wherein sulfur dioxide is reacted with sodium formate, potassium formate, or ammonium formate, preferably in a liquid state, at a temperature above F., but below the decomposition temperature of the formate, and preferably below 475 F., to form the corresponding thiosulfate. The formate may be dissolved in any chemically inert solvent which is liquid within the above temperature range. Water is the preferred solvent when a solvent is used. However, the salt may be used in the molten state rather than in a solvent. Likewise, suitable mixtures of the formates may be used. For example, we have found a suitable wet absorbent to be the eutectic mixture containing 96 percent potassium formate and 4 percent sodium formate which melts at 320 F., i.e. 13 F. below the melting point of the pure potassium salt. The sulfur dioxide in the flue gas reacts very rapidly and completely with the formate to form principally the corresponding alkali metal thiosulfate at temperatures above 140 F. and up to 475 F., as shown in the following equation:

where M is Na, K or NH The reaction is an oxidation-reduction reaction rather than an acid base reaction, as set forth in the above-cited Japanese patent. The reaction of formate and sulfur dioxide under the recited conditions is thus a method of making the thiosulfate.

At temperatures above 475 F., secondary reactions of the thiosulfate formed by reaction (1) occur, and increase in rate as the temperature is increased. Among such secondary reactions is the following:

It is undesirable in most instances to replace the SO: in the flue gas by H s. Accordingly, the temperature is generally maintained below 475 F. during the SO, absorption cycle.

Significant quantities of M 8, MHS, minor amounts of M 50 and occasionally some M 50 and elemental sulfur may also be produced. The amounts of these byproducts depend on the conditions employed in the absorption or scrubbing step. The formation of by-products is minimized by reduction of temperature and residence time. At temperatures below 400 F., the formation of H 8 in the scrubbing reaction appears to be completely inhibited, especially when M 00, is present in the formate. For this reason, its presence may be desirable, though it is clear that carbonate is not necessary for absorption of S by the fonmates.

Both sodium thiosulfate and potassium thiosulfate are useful per se as chemical agents in industry. In particular, they are useful as fixing agents in developing solutions used in photography, sodium thiosulfate being the wellknown hypo! Ammonium thiosulfate may be readily converted to the sulfate which is used as a fertilizer. Thus, the thiosulfate products of Reaction (1) may be marketable as such, after suitable purification.

If, on the other hand, regenration of the thiosulfate product to formate is desired to permit its reuse in the Six-absorbing system, it may be accomplished by reduction (at least in the case of sodium or potassium thiosulfate), as will be more fully discussed later. However, such regeneration does not form part of the present invention which is concerned solely with the remarkable effectiveness of the selected formates as absorbents for S0, at elevated temperatures.

Generally speaking, we prefer to use aqueous formate solutions rather than the molten salts. The three basic advantages of the aqueous system are (1) complete elimination of evolution of H 8 into the scrubbed flue gas (which sometimes happens in the case of the melt system at high temperature), (2) operation under conditions where no insoluble salts are precipitated, and (3) a much less serious corrosion problem.

The aqueous formate solutions may be conveniently used within the temperature range 140 to 250 F., preferably within the range 150 to 225 F. The higher the operating temperature, the higher the salt concentration that is required to prevent evaporation. Because of the very high solubility of potassium and ammonium formates, concentrations up to 90 weight percent may be used, but

'4 range 170 to 200 F. In the case of aqueous sodium formate, lower concentrations are used because of the lower solubility of the sodium salt. Concentrations of about to weight percent are preferred over the temperature range of about 160 to 170 F.

The use of the formates in molten form does permit eflicient removal of SO, from hot flue gas without any cooling of the flue gas. The melting point of potassium formate is 333 F. The S0, absorption may be conducted at a temperature above 350 F., but preferably below 475 F. Above 475 F., some H 8 is evident, thus defeating the primary purpose of desulfurizing the flue gas. Somewhat lower temperatures may be achieved in potassium formats melt systems if other salts are added which depress the melting point of the potassium formate. The addition of small amounts of sodium formate effects such a melting point depression. Likewise, operation at somewhat reduced temperatures is possibly by addition of small amounts of water. For example, we have found that 98% KCO0H-2% H O forms a homogeneous liquid at 310 F. and has a sufficiently low vapor pressure of water at the above temperature to be useful as a scrubbing fluid for flue gas.

The melting point of sodium formate is 489 R, which is below its initial thermal decomposition point of 600 F. However, to avoid introduction of substantial amounts of H 8 into the flue gas, it is necessary to operate with sodium formate at temperatures 'below 475 F. Thus, its admixtures with other salts or inert solvents which depress the melting point are used.

The melting point of ammonium formate is 240 R, which is above the temperature at which it starts to decompose, i.e. 170 F. Accordingly, for all practical purposes, its use as absorbent is limited to temperatures below 170 F. and to solutions, as distinguished from melts.

The reaction of the present invention is involved preferably in the use of the recited formates in a liquid state as wet absorbents for 80,. Such use is founded on our discovery that $0, reacts with the recited formates at temperatures above 140 F. to form the corresponding thiosulfates. This new reaction is obviously not dependent upon the physical form of the reactants. Hence, the recited formates, suitably supported on inert carriers, could serve as dry absorbents for 90:, as distinguished from the wet absorbents of the process of this invention.

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS The data reported below in Tables I, II, and in were obtained in S0, absorption experiments conducted in the laboratory. A simulated flue gas of know composition was passed upwardly through a heated S0 absorbent (of known composition) in a liquid state. Contact time between gas and liquid was less than 2 seconds. The olfgases and absorbent products were collected and analyzed to weight percent is preferred over the temperature 55 by conventional techniques.

TABLE I S0 absorbent system Feed gas Conditions xcoorr K460. Hi0 so. (vol. N1 (v01. Gas rate Run du- T6111?)- Run (gm) (gm) (3:01.) percent) percent) (liters/hr.) ration No. (he) U 0.83 04.0 340 0.00 40 use 040 34.0 3.00 400 a 1.11 sass 340 1.030 300 0.00 04.44 s40 0.583 ass 0. 000 04.44 04.0 0.400 300 0 0.20 sms 34.0 2.00 220 0.20 01.23 340 0.007 220 s-.. 0.00 91.00 34.0 1.70 110 0 0.00 97.00 040 2.00 10.--. 0.00 0444 040 1.300 400 11-..- 0.00 04.44 04.0 1.200 400 12.-.. 0.00 04.44 04.0 1.200 300 1a-.-- 0.00 04.44 340 0.100 300 14.... M0 04.44 040 1.100 300 10--.. 00s 0444 sen 1.000 300 10--.- 20 0.00 04.44 040 1.200 050 11 20 em 00.00 68.0 0.22 200 I Feed gas also 004, 0. n 00, 3.28% 0;.

had 0.017 4 Feed gas also had mi 00.. 0.41 o 0:.

TAB LE II Cumulative ofl-gas analysis Scrubbing results S: C0: IHaS Molar ratio Percent Total (gm. Lgm.) (gm.) C0: of! g added to Run No S0, in absorbed melt (gm) 100. 0 l. 2 9 100. 0 1. 21 100. 0 0. 90 100. 0 1. 57 0. 100. 0 1. 21 0. 100.0 0. 32 100. 0 0. 084 100. 0 2. 56 0. 00 100. 0 2. 91 0. 00 i5. 26 0. 09 1. 1 100. 0 3. 50 0. 00 4. 65 0. 00 1. 0 100. 0 3. 38 0. 00 4. 45 Trees 1. 0 100. 0 3. 21 0.00 2.60 1.0 100.0 1.89 0. 0O 4. 27 i 0.32 1.0 100. 0 I 3. 11 0. 00 3. 71 1. 0 100. 0 2. 70 0.00 4. 65 0.00 1.0 100.0 3. 38 5.08 21. 00 0.00 l. 0 l 75. 6 15. 72

1 Oxygen analyzed in off-gas. No change. Oxygen out=oxygen in. 1 Products of Runs 13 and 14 combined for analyses. Total S=6.00. 8 S02 absorption was incomplete due to poor contact of gas with liquid.

TABLE IIL-SCRUBBING PRODUCT ANALYSES Percent of total sulfur in form 01- I Total sulfur calculated from the S01 absorbed.

2 Cumulative sulfurobtained by analysis.

I Balance of sulfur in other sulfur compounds, c.g. K18 and K180i. 1 Products of Runs 13 and 14 combined.

The S0; scrubbing runs presented in the above tables are in two groups. Runs 1 through 8 were made to test the efficacy of potassium formate, either alone or in admixture with potassium carbonate, for S0 absorption. This was done for molten salts (Runs 1 to 5 inclusive) and for concentrated aqueous solutions (Runs 6 to 8). Then, when the eflicacy of all systems was found to be high, it was desirable to find out what the products of the scrubbing reactions were. Hence, for the second group, Runs 9 through 17, analyses were conducted on the products.

It is clear from the data for the first group of runs (Runs 1-8) in Tables I and II, that blends of potassium carbonate in molten potassium formate absorb S0 very efficiently (100%) at 450 F. (Run 1) and 350 F. (Runs 3 and 4). The aqueous solution of formate and carbonate also is an eificient scrubber (Run 6) even at the lower temperature of 225 F. However, it is also immediately clear that the companion runs (Nos. 2, 5, 7 and 8) that have only formate and no carbonate, are just as efiicient, with 100% absorption of the S0 from simulated flue gases and from SO /N blends. When high concentrations of SO, where used in the feed (Runs 4 and 5), the gas feed tube plugged where it entered the melt. This indicates that the reaction with S0; is very rapid, because the localized solidification of the relatively insoluble products occurs at the gas inlet site. Also, the maximum residence time could not have been more than a second or two, which was the observed bubble rise-time in the scrubbing medium. Still, complete removal of S0; was always attained, with the exception of Run 17. The incomplete absorption in Run 17 resulted from poor liquid-gas contact because the gas was introduced above the liquid, rather than bubbled through.

As shown in Runs 3, 4 and 5, the evolved CO was measured and found to be equal (molar-wise) to the S0 absorbed when carbonate was present, but just slightly more when only formate was present. Later similar runs at 350 F. (12 through 16) show the molar ratio of C0 6 off over SO -in to be 1.0. Thus, evolution of CO cannot be used to distinguish whether the reaction is with carbonate or formats in cases where both are present, since it evolves from formate as well as from the expected carbonate reaction,

In Runs 1 and 2, CO was analyzed for in the offgas. N0 increase over feed CO content was found. Thus, 00 is not a reaction product. Likewise, analyses for oxalate in the salt product showed that it is not produced from formate. Oxygen was present in the feed gas for Runs 1, 2, 6 and 7. For these runs, 0;, analysis of the off-gas showed no reduction of 0 as compared to the feed. Thus, residual O, in flue gas will not adversely react with formate-based liquid scrubbers.

The analyses of sulfur forms in the scrubbing products, as presented in Table III, consistently show that thinsulfate is the major product from reaction of S0 with formate. Coupling this fact with the observation that a mole of CO evolves per mole of S0 absorbed indicates that the major absorption reaction with formate is Reaction (1), namely:

ZMCOOH +2SOr M28203+ 2CO H O At 350 F. (Run 14) and at 450 F. (Run 10), both with molten formate only, some H 8 was found in the off-gas from scrubbing. This, of course, is undesirable in scrubbed stack gas, even if it is only a few percent of the original SO, content. No H 8 evolution was observed when K CO was present, or when aqueous formate solutions were used at 250 F. or less (Run 17). In general, the sulfur distribution is altered in the scrubbing products when carbonate is present. The proportion of thiosulfate is then much less, while M 8 increases. Also, note that the carbonate is not consumed, as seen in Runs 11 and 16, since the amount of carbonate in the product is equal to that in the initial scrubbing blend. Thus, the reactivity of formate with S0, greatly exceeds that of carbonate.

Similar results to those obtained with potassium formate were obtained with both sodium formats and ammonium formate, when used under conditions which recognized the differences in their respective physical properties, namely melting points, decomposition points, and solubilities, as previously set forth. In all cases where good gas-to-liquid contact was obtained, essentially percent absorption of S0,, was obtained, with thiosulfate being always the principal product.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of our invention, its objects and advantages, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 is a schematic flowsheet of a preferred embodiment of a process using our new reaction; and

FIG. 2 is a schematic fiowsheet of a modification of the process using the reaction of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a flowsheet of the preferred embodiment of a process which uses the reaction of the present invention, namely the reaction of S0: with formates in the liquid state. We prefer to regenerate the formats from the product thiosulfatc, rather than recover the product thiosulfate for sale or other use, as earlier described. Accordingly, we have included the specific regeneration procedure we prefer to use, even though it does not form part of the present invention, and is more fully described and claimed in application, Ser. No. 47,040, filed June 17, 1970 by Messrs. Nestor I. Mazzocco, Everett Gorin, and Paul M. Yavorsky.

The SO -containing gas is introduced into the bottom of a scrubber 10 through a conduit 12, while concentrated aqueous potassium formate (tag. 85%) is fed into the top of the scrubber through a conduit 14. The scrubber may he any conventional gas-liquid scrubbing tower designed to assure contact of the SO -containing gas at elevated temperatures with the selected formate in a liquid state. We prefer to use a jiggling bed of marbles through which the gas and liquid pass in countercurrent flow relationship. The temperature within the scrubber is preferably maintained between 170 and 200 F. when concentrated aqueous potassium formate is the absorbing agent. This temperature range has the advantage of eliminating the need for reheat of the scrubbed gases when they are released to the atmosphere. The scrubbed gas, freed of S0,, or substantially so, is discharged through a stack 16 as clean stack gas.

The relative amounts of SO,-containing gas and formate passing through the scrubber are regulated to provide for considerable excess of the formate, so that less than 25 percent by weight of the formate is converted to the thiosulfate in accordance with the reaction expressed by Equation 1. Accordingly, the major constituents of the efiluent liquid stream leaving the bottom of the scrubber through conduit 18 are aqueous potassium formate and potassium thiosulfate. These are pumped by conduit 18 through a filter 19 (to remove any entrained solids, e.g. ash or insoluble by-products) to a stirred reductor vessel 20 wherein the excess formate is used to reduce the thiosulfate to KzCOa and KHS according to the following reaction:

The temperature within the reductor is maintained at about 540 F. while the pressure, which is self-generated, is held at about 500 p.s.i.g. The required reaction time is about 20 minutes. The gaseous product CO is discharged from the reductor through a pipe 22.

The products from the reductor which are in aqueous solution are transferred through a conduit 24 to a socalled H 8 stripper multiple plate tower 26, into the bottom of which is also introduced a stream of CO and steam via a conduit 28. The C; and steam react with the KHS in the aqueous solution at the maintained temperature of 230270 F. and p.s.i.g. to produce KgCO according to the following reaction:

The gaseous H 8 is discharged through a stack 30 to a suitable recovery or processing plant (not shown). The aqueous solution of 14,00, is pumped through a conduit 32 to a stirred formate regenerator vessel 34 where the aqueous K CO is reconverted to aqueous KCOOH by reaction with 00 introduced through a conduit 36, according to the following equation:

The temperature maintained in the regenerator is about 540 F., and the pressure held at about 1000 p.s.i.g. The residence time is about one hour. The gaseous product C0 is discharged through a stack 37, while the regenerated aqueous formate is recycled to the scrubber through the conduit 14, after suitable adjustment of its concentration to 85 percent in the aqueous solution.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 2, an alternative embodiment of the process which uses the reaction of the present invention is shown in which the formate in molten form is used as the So -absorbing agent. A dilferent regeneration procedure from that shown in FIG. 1 is used to demonstrate that there are other ways available for regenerating the formate. Numeral 50 designates any conventional steam boiler heated by the combustion of a sulfur-containing fuel, e.g., coal, introduced through a conduit 52 with air introduced through a pipe 54. Hot fiue gas containing S0 is conducted by a pipe 56 to an air preheater 58 for heat exchange with the incoming air carried by the pipe 54. The flue gas is then passed through a pipe 60 to a scrubber 62 for removal of in a manner to be more fully described below. The resulting flue gas of reduced or zero S0 content is discharged through a stack 64.

The scrubber 62 is any conventional gas-liquid sembbing tower designed to assure contact of the hot flue gas with the selected formate, in this instance potassium formate in a molten state, at a temperature between the melting point and 400 F., e.g. 350 F. The hot flue gas is scrubbed free, or substantially so, of SO: in the scrubber 62 by contact with the molten potassium formate. The SO -free gas is discharged through the stack 64 as clean stack gas. Since the stack gas is at an elevated temperature, its plume does not fall to ground level, but rises and diffuses into the upper atmosphere.

The chemical reaction occurring in the scrubber 62 is that set forth above in Equation 1. The C0: produced in the reaction is discharged with the stack gas through stack 64. The reaction is suitably regulated to provide for the conversion of between about 7 to 25 percent by weight of the formate to the thiosulfate. The solubility of the thiosulfate in the molten formate is about 7 percent, so that the product leaving the scurbber is in the form of a slurry of the undissolved thiosulfate in the formate melt. If it is desired to recover any thiosulfate for use per se, for instance as a photographic fixing agent, then the slurry may be withdrawn from the scrubber 62 by a pipe 66 to a filter 68 where the thiosulfate and other entrained solids may be filtered and discharged through a conduit 70, for further purification of the thiosulfate.

However, we prefer to regenerate formate from the thiosulfate for reuse in the treatment of due gas. Accordingly, the sO -free thiosulfate-formate slurry is pumped around the filter 68 by a by-pass line 71 to a pipe 72 which leads to the first of two reduction zones suitably housed in interconnected vessels designated by the numerals 73 and 74, respectively, and also identified by the legends reductor No. 1 and reductor No. 2, respectively. A suitably regulated stream of CO and Hg is fed to each of the reductors by a main pipe 75 with spur pipelines 76 and 77 leading respectively to vessels 73 and 74. The stream of CO and H is blended with recycle gas from line 89. The main pipe 75 is supplied with the reducing gas C0 and H, produced in any suitable manner. The preferred gas composition is one that has a CO/H, mole ratio of about 1:1. Such a gas may be generated in a partial combustion zone 78 using oxygen from line 79 and natural gas from line 80, blended with a CO -rich recycle gas from line 88.

Other suitable means of supplying CO/H may be used, such as partial combustion of fuel oil, catalytic reforming of natural gas with carbon dioxide-steam mixtures and by steam gasification of coal or coal char.

The partial combustor 78 may be operated at the same or preferably somewhat lower pressure level than the reduotors Nos. 1 and 2. In the latter case, a compressor, not shown, would be installed in line 75 which delivers CO/H, gas to the regeneration system.

The reactions conducted in the reductor No. l are those set forth in the following equations, where molten potassium formate is the selected absorbent:

The preferred operating conditions for this reduction zone are as follows: a temperature between $00 and 700 F.

Temperature, F

C0 plus H, pressure (p.31)

The reaction conducted in reductor No. 2 is that set forth below in Equation 9, where the carbonate is converted back to formate.

The preferred operating conditions for this second reduction zone are as follows: a temperature between 600 and 700 F. and a pressure about 1000 p.s.i.g. above the equilibrium pressures given in Table IV. The regenerated formate, together with unreacted formate, is recycled by pipe 81 to the scrubber 62. The efiluent gases produced in reductor No. 2 are passed to reductor N0. 1 through line 91. The effiuent gases from reductor No. 1 are passed by pipe 82 to an H 8 absorber 84 where the H 8 is selectively removed from the effluent gases. The H S is conducted by a pipe 86 to a sulfur recovery plant. The H S- free efiiuent gases are recycled in part by pipes 88 and 89 back to the reductors Nos. 1 and 2. Another part is passed through pipes 88 and 80 to the partial combustion unit 78 where it is blended with natural gas feed. Finally, some of the gas is purged from the system through line 92 to prevent accumulation of impurities.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of our invention and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. The method of making sodium, potassium, or ammonium thiosulfate which comprises reacting S0 and a formate selected from the group consisting of sodium formate, potassium formate, and ammonium formate at a temperature above F.

2. The method according to claim 1 in which the temperature is below 475 F.

3. The method according to claim 2 in which the formate is in aqueous solution.

4. The method according to claim 3 in which the temperature is between and 225 F.

5. The method according to claim 2 in which the formate is aqueous potassium formate and the temperature is between and 200 F.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,036,705 8/1912 Portheim 23-116 1,166,160 12/1915 Portheim 23-116 2,010,615 8/1935 Vanderbilt et al. 23-116 2,031,802 2/1936 Tyler 23-178 2,142,987 1/1939 Bacon et a1 23-178 3,411,875 11/1968 Yoshikawa et al 23-116 3,576,598 4/1971 Plentovich et al 23116 3,584,042 6/1971 Yavorsky et al. 23-115 X 3,592,850 7/1971 Mazzocco et a]. 23-115 X OTHER REFERENCES Goliath et al.: Mechanism of Reduction of Sulfur Dioxide by Formic Acid, Acta Chemica Scandinavica, vol. 16, No. 3, 1962, pp. 570-574.

EARL C. THOMAS, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

23-] D, 2SQ, 25, 178 S; 260-542 P0-1050 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,690 ,824 Dated September 12 197i lnventofls) Everett Gorin and Paul M. Yavorsky It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 31: "regenration" should read regeneration;

Column 4, line 18: "possibly" should read -possible-;

Column 5, Table III: The last figure in the last column (last column) "0.09" should read 0.00-;

Column 7, line 63: "stack 37" should read --stack 38-.

Signed and scaled this 13th day of February 1973..

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCIIALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Batents 

